PM Pham Minh Chinh has sent an official letter of encouragement to the Vietnam U17 national football team for their performance at the AFC U17 Asian Cup.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has sent an official letter of encouragement to the Vietnam U17 national football team ahead of their decisive match against the United Arab Emirates U17 team on the evening of April 10. This match will determine a spot at the FIFA U17 World Cup 2025.
In his letter addressed to head coach Cristiano Roland and the entire squad, the prime minister expressed his admiration and support, "Millions of football fans and the people of Vietnam are filled with pride and excitement as they witness the Vietnam U17 national team's resilient and outstanding performances against continental powerhouses such as Australia and the reigning U17 Asian champions, Japan. These remarkable results have opened up a great opportunity for us at the AFC U17 Asian Cup, which also serves as the qualifier for the 2025 U17 World Cup."
He continued, "This is a truly impressive achievement, reflecting the team's relentless effort, unity, passion, and courageous spirit. The players have shown a strong commitment to fighting for the national colours, never backing down in the face of challenges."
On behalf of the government, Prime Minister Chinh gave his heartfelt praise to the coaching staff, players, support crew, and everyone who has accompanied the team, especially acknowledging the tactical leadership of head coach Cristiano Roland.
He concluded, "I wish Coach Cristiano Roland and the team good health, success, and excellent performance. May you continue to secure victories and bring glory to the nation."
After two matches in Group B, Japan currently leads with 4 points, followed by the UAE with 3 points. Vietnam sits third with 2 points, and Australia is at the bottom with 1 point. The group remains wide open heading into the final round of fixtures, with all four teams still in contention.
Vietnam's U17s must secure a win over the UAE U17s to advance to the quarter-finals of the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup, which is being held in Saudi Arabia. A win would also secure their qualification for the FIFA U17 World Cup 2025, set to take place in Qatar this November.
FIFA will expand the U17 World Cup from 24 to 48 teams this year, granting the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) eight qualification spots. Teams that reach the quarter-finals of the AFC U17 Asian Cup will earn a place at the World Cup.
The tournament features 16 teams divided into four groups of four. Each group plays a round-robin format, with the top two teams from each group progressing to the quarter-finals and earning a World Cup berth.
